Maphis, John Miley, House
Also known as: VDHR File Number 085-5181
Why it's listed
Built in 1856 on a high bluff above Stony Creek, this two-story frame farmhouse sits about 2.5 miles west of Edinburg, Virginia, across the creek from the village of Lantz Mill. Its L-shaped form combines a hall-and-parlor front section with a rear wing added soon after, and its simple lines reflect a rural take on the Italianate style. Inside, the front rooms keep oversized Greek Revival trim finished with grain painting to imitate figured oak, which is unusual for so small a house. The property also holds a bank barn from about 1870, a wash house and a chicken house. The house was built for John Miley Maphis, a miller and merchant whose mills and barn were burned during Sheridan's 1864 campaign, although the house was spared. A bullet from Civil War skirmishing remains in a stairwell wall. Listing recognizes the house as a well-preserved example of a common local type with distinctive interior craftsmanship.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent, virtually unaltered example of the hall-and-parlor houses common in Shenandoah County in the mid- to late nineteenth century. It is distinguished by unusual, boldly scaled, grain-painted late-Greek Revival interior woodwork. It was also the home of a miller and merchant at Lantz Mill and was caught up in Civil War skirmishing and the 1864 Burning.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 11000840, listed November 22, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 56 Bell's Ln., Edinburg |
|---|---|
| County | Shenandoah County |
| Listed | November 22, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000840 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1856-ca. 1920 |
| Architect / builder | John Miley Maphis |
| Architectural style | MID-19TH CENTURY/Vernacular (vernacular Italianate with late-Greek Revival interior trim) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house and wash house are described as in very good condition; the barn and chicken house are in fair condition. The house is still used as a single dwelling. |
| Coordinates | 38.83847, -78.59807 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 11000840.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16894613
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.